Ignatius 100ish AD shortly before his martydom in the coliseum I believe. Neither the ends of the earth nor the kingdoms of this age will be of benefit to me. It is better for me to die in Christ Jesus than to reign over the ends of the earth. I seek that one who died on my behalf. I desire that one who rose up on our account. But the pains of childbirth are upon me.  Be in agreement with me, brothers, do not hinder me from living, do not wish me to die. Do hand over not to the … Continue reading Only that I may reach Christ

Ignatius 100ish AD And I say these things, my beloved, not because I have learned that any from you are acting in this way, but as less than you, I desire to protect you, that you not be snagged by the fishhooks of worthless delusion, but to be fully convinced of the birth and the suffering and the resurrection, which took place in the time of the rule of Pontius Pilate. These things were really and truly done by Jesus Christ, our hope, from which may none of you ever turn away. Brannan, Rick, trans. 2012. The Apostolic Fathers in … Continue reading Nothing is better than Him

Maybe Clement 100ish AD Maybe a second century Homily and maybe one of the earliest quotes of Jesus word’s as Scripture outside of Scripture! And another scripture also says that “I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinners.”  He means this: that we must save those who are perishing.  For it is great and marvelous to strengthen not what is established but what has fallen.  So also Christ willed to save what was perishing, and he saved many, having come and having called us who were already perishing. Brannan, Rick, trans. 2012. The Apostolic Fathers in English. … Continue reading Not proper…

Clement 100ish AD Therefore let our whole body be saved in Christ Jesus, and let each of us be subject to his neighbor, according to the gift given to him.  Let the strong care for the weak and let the weak respect the strong. Let the rich provide for the poor and let the poor give thanks to God, that he gave to him one through whom he might supply his need. Let the wise one demonstrate his wisdom not with words but with good works. Do not let the humble person testify about himself, but allow him to be … Continue reading Let the rich and the poor love one another

Clement 100ish AD Therefore all of them were glorified and magnified, not through themselves or their deeds or righteous actions which they accomplished, but through his will.  And we, therefore, having been called through his will in Christ Jesus, we are not justified through ourselves, or through our wisdom or understanding or piety or deeds which we accomplished in holiness of heart, but through the faith by which all those since the beginning the Almighty God has justified to him be the glory forever, amen. Continue reading We are not justified

Augustine 400 AD contemplating the God who “inhabiteth eternity”. “But if there was no time before heaven and earth, how, then, can it be asked, “What wast thou doing then?” For there was no “then” when there was no time.  Nor dost thou precede any given period of time by another period of time. Else thou wouldst not precede all periods of time. In the eminence of thy everpresent eternity, thou precedest all times past, and extendest beyond all futuretimes, for they are still to come–and when they have come, they will be past. But “Thou art always the Selfsame … Continue reading Past finding out

Gregory of Nazianus 381 AD He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life. Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water. Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest. Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King. Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons. Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears. Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world. Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd. Jesus died, yet … Continue reading He is the Bread of Life

Augustine 400ish AD Great is this power of memory, exceedingly great, O my God–a large and boundless inner hall! Who has plumbed the depths of it? Yet it is a power of mymind, and it belongs to my nature. But I do not myself grasp all that I am. Thus themind is far too narrow to contain itself. But where can that part of it be which itdoes not contain? Is it outside and not in itself? How can it be, then, that the mindcannot grasp itself? A great marvel rises in me; astonishment seizes me. Men goforth to marvel … Continue reading Great is the power of memory

Augustine 400ish AD “And what is this God? I asked the earth, and it answered, “I am not he”; and everything in the earth made the same confession. I asked the sea and the deeps and the creeping things, and they replied, “We are not your God; seek above us.” I asked the fleeting winds, and the whole air with its inhabitants answered, “Anaximenes was deceived; I am not God.” I asked the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars; and they answered, “Neither are we the God whom you seek.” And I replied to all these things which stand around … Continue reading I am not he